Weight lifting exercising device

ABSTRACT

A weight lifting exercising device includes a number of weight plates slidably attached to a frame with a weight guide rod, two cam members pivotally attached to the frame, two cables coupled between the cam members and the weight plates for moving the selected number of the weight plates up and down along the weight guide rod, and an operating device engaged with the cam members for rotating either of the cam members to actuate either of the cables to move the weight plates up and down along the weight guide rod and for allowing the user to lift and to exercise the weight members either by pulling or pushing a force transfer member and for training or exercising the lower or the upper muscle groups of the users.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a weight lifting exercising device, andmore particularly to a weight lifting exercising device including astructure for allowing the user to lift and to exercise the weightmembers either by pulling or pushing handle bar or foot pedal or footactuating member and for training or exercising the lower or the uppermuscle groups of the users.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical weight lifting exercising devices comprise a number of weightplates stacked or disposed in a frame, a bench or chair or the like forsupporting the user thereon, and a force transfer member, such as ahandle bar, a foot pedal or a foot actuating member coupled to theweight plates with one or more cables for lifting the weight plates andfor exercising the lower or the upper muscle groups of the users.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,192 to Lambert, Jr. et al. disclosesone of the typical counterbalanced weight systems comprising a number ofweight plates slidably attached or disposed on four parallel weightrods, and a handle coupled to the weight plates for lifting or operatingthe weight plates and for exercising purposes.

However, the handle may only be moved or pulled or pushed in onedirection in order to lift or to elevate the weight plates, but thehandle may not be moved or pulled or pushed in the opposite direction tolift the weight plates.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,137 to Jones discloses another typical compoundweight lifting exercising machine also comprising a number of weightplates slidably attached or disposed on a pair of weight guide rods, anda force transfer member, such as a foot pedal or a foot actuating membercoupled to the weight plates with one or more cables or sprocket chainsfor lifting the weight plates and for exercising the lower muscle groupsof the users.

However, similarly, the force transfer member or the foot pedal may onlybe moved or stepped in one direction in order to lift the weight plates,but may not be moved in the opposite direction to lift the weightplates.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,594 to Schleffendorf discloses a further typicalbody training device also comprising a number of weight plates slidablyattached or disposed on a pair of weight guide tubes, and a forcetransfer member, such as a handle bar or handle member coupled to theweight plates with one or more cables for lifting the weight plates andfor exercising the lower muscle groups of the users.

However, similarly, the force transfer member or the handle member mayonly be moved or pulled in one direction relative to the weight guidetubes in order to lift or elevate the weight plates, but may not bemoved in the opposite direction to lift the weight plates.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,916 to Voris discloses a still further typicalexercise apparatus also comprising a number of weight plates slidablyattached or disposed on a pair of weight guide rods, and a forcetransfer member, such as a handle or a press bar coupled to the weightplates with a trolley system for lifting the weight plates and forexercising the lower or the upper muscle groups of the users.

However, similarly, the force transfer member or the press bar may onlybe moved or pulled in one direction in order to lift the weight plates,but may not be moved in the opposite direction to lift the weightplates.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,422 to Domzalski discloses a still further typicalcompact exercise apparatus also comprising a number of weight platesslidably attached or disposed on a pair of weight guide bars, and aforce transfer member, such as an exercise bar coupled to the weightplates with one or more drive cables for lifting the weight plates andfor exercising the upper muscle groups of the users.

However, similarly, the force transfer member or the exercuse bar mayonly be moved or pulled in one direction in order to lift the weightplates, but may not be moved in the opposite direction to lift theweight plates.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages of the conventional weight liftingexercising devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a weightlifting exercising device including a structure for allowing the user tolift and to exercise the weight members either by pulling or pushinghandle bar or foot pedal or foot actuating member and for training orexercising the lower or the upper muscle groups of the users.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided aweight lifting exercising device comprising a frame including at leastone weight guide rod, a number of weight plates slidably attached ontothe weight guide rod and movable up and down along the weight guide rod,a first cam member and a second cam member pivotally attached to theframe with a spindle, a first cable selectively coupling the first cammember to a selected number of the weight plates for selectively movingthe selected number of the weight plates up and down along the weightguide rod, a second cable selectively coupling the second cam member toa selected number of the weight plates for selectively moving theselected number of the weight plates up and down along the weight guiderod, and an operating device engaged with the first cam member and thesecond cam member for selectively rotating either of the first or thesecond cam member relative to the frame in opposite rotationaldirections, and for actuating either of the first or the second cable tomove the weight plates up and down along the weight guide rod.

The operating device includes a rotary member rotatably attached to thespindle, and an actuating member attached to the rotary member andengageable with either of the first or the second cam member forrotating either of the first or the second cam member relative to theframe when the rotary member is rotated relative to the frame.

The operating device includes a force transfer member attached to therotary member for rotating the rotary member relative to the frame.

The operating device includes a crank attached to the rotary member, andthe force transfer member is attached to the crank for rotating therotary member relative to the frame. For example, the force transfermember is adjustably attached to the crank with a shank and a latchdevice.

The operating device includes an anchor attached to the frame andengageable with either of the first or the second cam members forlimiting the first or the second cam members to rotate relative to theframe.

The frame includes a carriage slidably attached to the weight guide rodand movable up and down along the weight guide rod and engageable withthe selected number of the weight plates and for carrying the selectednumber of the weight plates up and down along the weight guide rod.

The frame includes a floating pulley assembly having two pulleysrotatably coupled together and engaged with the first and the secondcables respectively. The floating pulley assembly includes at least onebar for rotatably coupling the first and the second pulleys together.

The frame includes an upper beam and a lower beam, a first wheel and asecond wheel attached to the upper beam, and a third wheel attached tothe lower beam, the first cable is engaged with the first wheel and thenengaged with a first of the pulleys of the floating pulley assembly andthen engaged with the second wheel, and includes a first end coupled tothe weight plates and a second end coupled to the first cam member, thesecond cable is engaged with the third wheel and then engaged with asecond of the pulleys of the floating pulley assembly, and the secondcable includes a first end coupled to the frame and a second end coupledto the second cam member.

The frame includes a chair having a seat cushion disposed on a seat basefor suitably supporting a user, and the chair may include a seat backadjustably attached to the seat base with an adjusting device.

The chair includes a track attached to the seat base and having a numberof orifices formed therein, an arm attached to the seat base and havinga support member for supporting an upper portion of the user. The arm isadjustably attached to the seat base with a latch device.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedhereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a weight lifting exercising devicein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the weight lifting exercisingdevice;

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the weight lifting exercisingdevice, in which the chair has been removed for showing the detailedstructure of the weight lifting exercising device;

FIG. 4 is a side plan schematic view of the weight lifting exercisingdevice;

FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are side plan schematic views similar to FIG. 4illustrating the exercising operation of the weight lifting exercisingdevice;

FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view illustrating the chair of theweight lifting exercising device;

FIG. 11 is another partial perspective view illustrating the actuatingdevice of the weight lifting exercising device;

FIG. 12 is a plan schematic view illustrating the operation of theweight lifting exercising device;

FIGS. 13, 14 are enlarged partial plan schematic views illustrating theoperation of the weight lifting exercising device;

FIG. 15 is a rear perspective view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating theother arrangement of the weight lifting exercising device; and

FIG. 16 is a front perspective view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating thefurther arrangement of the weight lifting exercising device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-9, a weight liftingexercising device in accordance with the present invention comprises aframe 10 including two side frame posts 11, 12 disposed parallel to eachother and extended upwardly from such as the ground, an upper beam 13and a lower beam 14 disposed or attached or coupled between the sideframe posts 11, 12, one or more (such as two) weight guide rods 15attached or mounted between the upper and the lower beams 13, 14 andpreferably disposed parallel to the side frame posts 11, 12, a number ofweight plates 16 slidably attached or mounted onto the weight guide rods15 and movable up and down along the weight guide rods 15, and acarriage 17 slidably attached or mounted onto the weight guide rods 15and movable up and down along the weight guide rods 15 for engaging withthe weight plates 16 and for carrying one or more of the weight plates16 up and down along the weight guide rods 15.

For example, the carriage 17 includes a weight selector post 18 attachedto the carriage 17 for engaging with or into the weight plates 16 andfor coupling to one or more of the weight plates 16 with a latch 19which may couple and anchor or secure one or more of the weight plates16 to the weight selector post 18 of the carriage 17 for allowing theselected number of the weight plates 16 to be carried and moved up anddown along the weight guide rods 15 by the carriage 17. Theabove-described structure including the frame 10 and the weight plates16 and the carriage 17 and the weight selector post 18, and the couplingof the weight plates 16 to the carriage 17 with the latch 19 is typicaland will not be described in further details.

One or more (such as two) rollers or wheels 20, 21 are rotatablyattached or mounted onto the upper beam 13, such as attached to the sideportion of the upper beam 13, and one or more (such as two) furtherrollers or wheels 22, 23 are rotatably attached or mounted onto theupper beam 13, such as attached to the upper portion of the upper beam13, and one or more (such as two) further rollers or wheels 24, 25 arerotatably attached or mounted onto the lower beam 14, such as attachedto the side portion of the lower beam 14, and a floating pulley assembly26 includes two pulleys 27, 28 pivotally or rotatably coupled togetherwith one or more (such as two) plates or bars 29, and two cables 30, 31are engaged with or around the wheels 20-25 and the pulleys 27, 28 ofthe floating pulley assembly 26.

For example, one of the cables 31 is engaged with or around the wheels20, 21, and then engaged with or around one of the pulleys 27 of thefloating pulley assembly 26, and then engaged with or around the wheels22, 23, and includes one end 32 coupled to the selected number of theweight plates 16 and/or the carriage 17, and includes the other end 33to be actuated or pulled or operated by the user in order to pull orelevate the weight plates 16 and the carriage 17, as shown in FIGS. 7, 9and 12-14, when the other end 33 of the cable 31 is pulled or moved awayfrom the wheels 20, 21, the other end 33 of the cable 30 is provided forcoupling to an actuating device which will be described in furtherdetails hereinafter.

The other cables 30 is engaged with or around the wheels 24, 25, andthen engaged with or around the other pulley 28 of the floating pulleyassembly 26, and then engaged with or attached or mounted or secured tothe frame 10, such as attached or secured to the lower beam 14, andincludes the other end 35 to be actuated or pulled or operated by theuser in order to pull or elevate the weight plates 16 and the carriage17, as shown in FIGS. 6, 8 and 12-14, when the other end 35 of the cable30 is pulled or moved away from the wheels 24, 25, the other end 35 ofthe cable 30 is also provided for coupling to an actuating device whichwill be described in further details hereinafter.

As shown in FIGS. 1-2 and 10, a chair 4 includes a seat base 40, asaddle or seat cushion 41 disposed or attached or mounted onto the seatbase 40 for supporting the user thereon, a seat back 42 slidably andadjustably attached or mounted onto the seat base 40 with a latch orfastener or adjusting device 43 for suitably supporting the back portionof the user, a beam or track 44 attached or mounted onto the seat base40 and having a number of orifices 45 formed therein (FIG. 10), an arm46 adjustably attached or mounted onto the seat base 40 with a fasteneror latch device 47 which is adjustably engaged with the orifices 45 ofthe track 44 for adjustably attaching or mounting the arm 46 onto theseat base 40, a hand grip 48 attached or mounted to the latch device 47for actuating or operating the latch device 47, and a support member 49attached or mounted onto the arm 46 for suitably supporting the upperportion of the user.

As shown in FIGS. 1-9 and 11, an actuating device 5 is attached ormounted onto the frame 10 and coupled to the cables 30, 31 for actuatingor operating the cables 30, 31, and includes two cam members 50, 51pivotally or rotatably coupled or attached or mounted onto the frame 10with a spindle 52, the cam members 50, 51 include one end 53 coupled tothe other or free ends 35, 33 of the cables 30, 31 respectively foractuating or operating or pulling the cables 30, 31 when the cam members50, 51 are rotated relative to the frame 10 with the spindle 52respectively, and include the other end 54 for engaging with a stop oranchor 55 which is attached or mounted onto the frame 10 and forlimiting the cam members 50, 51 to rotate relative to the frame 10.

A rotary member 56 is also pivotally or rotatably coupled or attached ormounted onto the frame 10 with the spindle 52, and includes a number ofapertures 57 formed in the outer peripheral portion thereof foradjustably attaching or mounting an actuating member 58 to the rotarymember 56, in which the actuating member 58 is engageable with either ofthe cam members 50, 51 for rotating either of the cam members 50, 51relative to the frame 10 respectively, and thus for pulling or actuatingor operating the cables 30, 31 to pull or to elevate the weight plates16 and the carriage 17. An operating device 6 including one or more(such as two) cranks 60, 61 attached or mounted onto the rotary member56 for rotating the rotary member 56 relative to the frame 10 to actuateor operate the cam members 50, 51 to pull or actuate or operate thecables 30, 31 respectively.

A force transfer member 62, such as a handle bar, a foot pedal or a footactuating member 62 is adjustably attached or mounted to the rotarymember 56 or mounted to either of the cranks 60 with a shank 63 and afastener or latch device 64 which is adjustably engaged with the crank60 (FIGS. 3-5) for adjustably attaching or mounting the force transfermember 62 onto the crank 60. A cover 65 (FIG. 1) may be provided andattached or mounted onto the rotary member 56 and/or the cranks 60, 61for covering and shielding the rotary member 56 and a portion of thecranks 60, 61. The force transfer member 62 is provided for beingengaged with the legs or feet of the user and for allowing the cranks60, 61 and the rotary member 56 to be rotated or actuated or operatedrelative to the frame 10 by the user in order to actuate or operateeither of the cam members 50, 51 to pull the cables 30, 31 and toelevate the weight plates 16 and the carriage 17.

In operation, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, when the force transfer member62 is actuated or operated or moved or rotated relative to the frame 10clockwise by the user, the cam member 51 may also be actuated oroperated or moved or rotated relative to the frame 10 clockwise by thecrank 60 and the rotary member 56 and the actuating member 58 in orderto actuate or pull the cable 30 and to elevate the weight plates 16 andthe carriage 17 (FIGS. 12, 14), at this moment, the other cam member 50has not been and may not be rotated relative to the frame 10 by thecrank 60. As shown in FIGS. 7, 9, and 12-13, the other cam member 50 mayalso be actuated or operated or moved or rotated relative to the frame10 counterclockwise by the crank 60 and the rotary member 56 and theactuating member 58 in order to actuate or pull the cable 31 and toelevate the weight plates 16 and the carriage 17.

Accordingly, the force transfer member 62 may be actuated or rotatedrelative to the frame 10 in either direction by the user to elevate theweight plates 16 and the carriage 17 and to train or exercise the loweror the upper muscle groups of the users. The force transfer member 62and the crank 60 and the rotary member 56 and the actuating member 58may be formed or may act as an operating device 6 to actuate or operateor move or rotate either of the cam members 50, 51 relative to the frame10 in order to actuate or pull the cable 31 and to elevate the weightplates 16 and the carriage 17.

As shown in FIG. 15, the force transfer member 620 may be selected froma handle bar 620 and adjustably attached or mounted onto the other crank61 with the shank 63 and the fastener or latch device 64, and a saddleor seat cushion 41 and/or a back cushion 420 may be disposed or attachedor mounted onto the seat base 401 for supporting the back portion of theuser, and one or more foot engaging members 411 may be disposed orattached or mounted onto the seat base 401 for anchoring or engagingwith the feet of the user, and for allowing the user to push or pull theforce transfer member or handle bar 620 to actuate or operate either ofthe cam members 50, 51 to pull the cables 30, 31 and to elevate theweight plates 16 and the carriage 17.

As shown in FIG. 16, the actuating device 5 may further include a stem66 adjustably attached or mounted onto the rotary member 56 with afastener or latch device 67, and a lever 68 extended or attached ormounted onto the stem 66, and one or more (such as two) force transfermembers 69, 70, such as handles 69, 70 may be disposed or attached ormounted onto the lever 68 or the stem 66 for being grasped or held bythe user, and a table 491 may be disposed or attached or mounted ontothe seat base 402 for supporting the upper portion or the arms of theuser, and for allowing the user to grasp or hold the handles 69, 70 totrain or exercise the upper muscle groups of the users.

It is to be noted that the arrangement or the coupling of the cables 30,31 to the weight plates 16 and the carriage 17 with the wheels 20-25 andthe pulleys 27, 28 of the floating pulley assembly 26 and the cammembers 50, 51 and the crank 60 and the force transfer member 62 allowseither of the cam members 50, 51 to be actuated or operated or moved orrotated relative to the frame 10 to pull the cables 30, 31 and toelevate the weight plates 16 and the carriage 17, and the force transfermembers 62, 620, 69, 70 may be selected from a handle bar 620, twohandles 69, 70, or a foot pedal or a foot actuating member 62 and forallowing the user to suitably train or exercise either the lower or theupper muscle groups of the users.

Accordingly, the weight lifting exercising device in accordance with thepresent invention includes a structure for allowing the user to lift andto exercise the weight members either by pulling or pushing handle baror foot pedal or foot actuating member and for training or exercisingthe lower or the upper muscle groups of the users.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made by way of example only and that numerous changes in thedetailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A weight lifting exercising device comprising: a frame including atleast one weight guide rod, a plurality of weight plates slidablyattached onto said at least one weight guide rod and movable up and downalong said at least one weight guide rod, a first cam member and asecond cam member pivotally attached to said frame with a spindle, afirst cable selectively coupling said first cam member to a selectednumber of said weight plates for selectively moving the selected numberof said weight plates up and down along said at least one weight guiderod, a second cable selectively coupling said second cam member to aselected number of said weight plates for selectively moving theselected number of said weight plates up and down along said at leastone weight guide rod, and an operating device engaged with said firstcam member and said second cam member for selectively rotating either ofsaid first or said second cam member relative to said frame, and foractuating either of said first or said second cable to move said weightplates up and down along said at least one weight guide rod, saidoperating device including a rotary member rotatably attached to saidspindle, and an actuating member attached to said rotary member andengageable with either of said first or said second cam member forrotating either of said first or said second cam member relative to saidframe when said rotary member is rotated relative to said frame, a forcetransfer member attached to said rotary member for rotating said rotarymember relative to said frame, a crank attached to said rotary member,and said force transfer member being adjustably attached to said crankwith a shank and a latch device for rotating said rotary member relativeto said frame. 2-5. (canceled)
 6. The weight lifting exercising deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating device includes an anchorattached to said frame and engageable with either of said first or saidsecond cam members for limiting said first or said second cam members torotate relative to said frame.
 7. The weight lifting exercising deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein said frame includes a carriage slidablyattached to said at least one weight guide rod and movable up and downalong said at least one weight guide rod and engageable with theselected number of said weight plates and for carrying the selectednumber of said weight plates up and down along said at least one weightguide rod.
 8. The weight lifting exercising device as claimed in claim1, wherein said frame includes a floating pulley assembly having twopulleys engaged with said first and said second cables respectively. 9.A weight lifting exercising device comprising: a frame including atleast one weight guide rod, and including a floating pulley assemblyhaving two pulleys, a plurality of weight plates slidably attached ontosaid at least one weight guide rod and movable up and down along said atleast one weight guide rod, a first cam member and a second cam memberpivotally attached to said frame with a spindle, a first cableselectively coupling said first cam member to a selected number of saidweight plates for selectively moving the selected number of said weightplates up and down along said at least one weight guide rod, a secondcable selectively coupling said second cam member to a selected numberof said weight plates for selectively moving the selected number of saidweight plates up and down along said at least one weight guide rod, andsaid pulleys of said floating pulley assembly of said frame beingengaged with said first and said second cables respectively, and anoperating device engaged with said first cam member and said second cammember for selectively rotating either of said first or said second cammember relative to said frame, and for actuating either of said first orsaid second cable to move said weight plates up and down along said atleast one weight guide rod, and said frame including an upper beam and alower beam, a first wheel and a second wheel attached to said upperbeam, and a third wheel attached to said lower beam, said first cablebeing engaged with said first wheel and then engaged with a first ofsaid pulleys of said floating pulley assembly and then engaged with saidsecond wheel, and including a first end coupled to said weight platesand a second end coupled to said first cam member, said second cablebeing engaged with said third wheel and then engaged with a second ofsaid pulleys of said floating pulley assembly, and including a first endcoupled to said frame and a second end coupled to said second cammember.
 10. The weight lifting exercising device as claimed in claim 8,wherein said floating pulley assembly includes at least one bar forrotatably coupling said first and said second pulleys together.
 11. Theweight lifting exercising device as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidframe includes a chair having a seat cushion disposed on a seat base forsupporting a user.
 12. The weight lifting exercising device as claimedin claim 11, wherein said chair includes a seat back adjustably attachedto said seat base with an adjusting device.
 13. The weight liftingexercising device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said chair includes atrack attached to said seat base and having a plurality of orificesformed therein, an arm attached to said seat base and having a supportmember for supporting an upper portion of the user.
 14. The weightlifting exercising device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said arm isadjustably attached to said seat base with a latch device.